Hearing impairment due to ear congestion, in addition to obvious discomfort, as a rule, indicates the presence of diseases of both the hearing organs themselves and various pathologies of other systems and organs. Few people know what to do. Stuffed ear and noise (right or left) - what to do in this situation? See answers below.
Reasons
If it makes noise in the ears and lays, the causes of congestion, directly related to pathological processes in the ear, may be as follows:
- A buildup of earwax (ear plug) in the external auditory canal can impair hearing and cause noise effects. Normally, earwax dries up and falls out on its own. And only in case of hypersecretion, sulfur accumulates and clogs the passage.
- Inflammatory processes in the outer and middle ear (otitis media) provoke swelling of the external auditory canal, as well as disrupt the functioning of the auditory tube, which, in turn, leads to a narrowing of the lumen and hearing loss.
The disease can be caused by diseases of the organs adjacent to the ear. For example, why the ear is blocked and noisy:
- Due to colds and sinusitis, swelling of the nasal and maxillary sinuses occurs. They put pressure on the inner ear, which causes a feeling that the ear is stuffed up, but does not hurt and make noise.
- Inflammatory infectious diseases such as acute pharyngitis, tonsillitis (tonsillitis) are characterized by swelling of the mucous membrane of the throat cavity, which can block the ear canals.
Infectious agents spread quite quickly throughout the body, including the hearing organs, and a stuffy ear can be a symptom of the spread of the virus into the ear cavity.
In addition to all of the above, a stuffy ear can be part of the symptoms of various diseases and be taken into account when compiling an anamnesis, for example:
- Ear congestion due to swelling caused by a general allergic reaction of the body to certain external allergens.
- With progressive cervical osteochondrosis, the nerve endings are compressed, which regulate the process of blood circulation in nearby organs. The result can be, for example, numbness of the fingers or hearing loss, stuffy ears.
- Hypertension may also cause ear congestion as a result of high blood pressure.
The causes of stuffy ear are often certain external mechanical influences. Including water ingress when swimming, takeoff and landing of an aircraft, diving to depth when diving, various injuries and impacts duringdoing sports. In any case, if you find a symptom of a blocked ear, you should seek the advice of an otolaryngologist.
Symptoms
In some cases, the pain in the ear is so severe that a person may experience many unpleasant moments when it appears. Sometimes the ear is blocked. Moreover, the pain in this case is not felt at all. But do not rejoice, because ear congestion does not occur without a reason. Ear congestion may be a symptom of some serious and dangerous disease that requires immediate treatment. In addition, if the ear is blocked, then the patient may be accompanied by various unpleasant sensations. Such, for example, as constant noise in the head. Sometimes there is such a strong ringing in the ear that the patient seems to be someone else's own voice.
Main signs
If the ear is blocked without pain, then this condition may be accompanied by the additional appearance of constant noise that distorts some sounds that occur, for example, when objects are moved or people move. Such ear congestion often appears with pressure drops that can occur when swimming or flying on an airplane. In certain cases, ear congestion may be accompanied by headaches. As well as ringing, coughing, dizziness, itching, nausea. If ear congestion is accompanied by pain and at least one of the above symptoms, then here we are talking about a disease or the development of a certain pathology.
Treatment
Many people must have experienced a feeling of fullness in their ears. If at the same time no painful sensations arise, then this can serve as a sign of the body's response to pressure surges, as a result of which the hearing organs cannot have time to rebuild. Usually, congestion does not require complex therapy and disappears after adaptation is completed. But there are cases in which ear congestion is accompanied by aching and rather sharp pain, which in most cases indicates the addition of an inflammatory process in the diseased ear. This condition can occur due to impaired air exchange, which can overstretch the eardrum. With this problem, it is better to consult a doctor to accurately determine the nature of the pathology and prescribe the appropriate therapy.
High blood pressure
In our time, there are several methods of treatment that can save the patient from stuffy ears. So, if the feeling of congestion in the ear arises from the pressure drop due to being in an elevator or flying in an airplane, you can get rid of this with chewing gum. Chewing it, a person salivates abundantly and swallowing becomes more frequent, which helps to reduce pressure in the ears. If a person has pressure surges, a different method is used: breathe through your mouth, covering your nostrils with your fingers. After that, exhale sharply through the nose. At first, a person may experience a little pain, which is not dangerous to he alth, but this method will help to forgetabout ear pain.
After swimming
Let's say, after bathing, the ear is blocked, it makes noise and rings. What to do? You need to get the water out of your ear. If this is not done, after a while the liquid can lead to the development of an inflammatory or infectious process. To do this, you can tilt your head with the affected ear down and slightly jump on your leg. If this method does not help, you can warm up your ear a little by taking a heating pad and lie on it with your stuffed ear for about 15 minutes. Usually during this time, the water that is causing the congestion leaves the ear and the congestion disappears. Instead of a heating pad, you can use an ordinary red brick: it is warmed up well, wrapped in a thick cloth so that light heat comes from it. The brick is applied to the affected ear and wait for it to cool. Additionally, during the procedure, it is recommended to drink a diaphoretic.
Foreign body
If a foreign object gets into the ear, it must be quickly removed, immediately contacting the doctors. To remove a dangerous object, use special tweezers with a blunt end. It is worth acting very carefully so that the object does not push further into the ear.
Sulfur plug
If the ear is stuffed up due to the appearance of cerumen, you need to eliminate it. Due to moisture or some mechanical factors, the cork can quickly swell, blocking the passage, significantly impairing hearing. It is not recommended to clean the ear yourself! With inaccurate manipulations, it is possible to injure the tissues of the ear canal, damage the membrane or the inner ear. With inept movements, you can also completely block your hearing, ram the sulfur even further. It is better to entrust this process to an otolaryngologist who will do everything right.
Cold diseases
With a runny nose and colds, the mucous membrane of the nasal passage swells, the pressure in the tympanic membrane decreases slightly, and a feeling of congestion may occur in the ears. In this case, you need to quickly cure a cold. Often, ear congestion appears due to a sore and inflamed throat.
After or during an illness, did the ear suddenly stop and make noise? What to do in this case? Usually, drops, compresses, antipyretic drugs and, of course, warm drinks are used for treatment. Additionally, you can rinse your nose with a special saline solution using a syringe.
Curvature of the nose
In this condition, the ears can be blocked from time to time, so for prevention, you need to perform a special set of exercises that will help eliminate excess mucus. In addition, it will help reduce pressure, which can be caused by insufficient air flow through the nasal passage. You need to breathe through your nose, as well as slightly open mouth.
Side effects of drugs
If the ears have been stuffed up as a result of taking certain medications, you should no longer use them, and choose other medications with the doctor. It is difficult to judge what the consequences of treatment with the wrong drug will be.
What to do: blocked ears and noise?
In case of infection, development of inflammation and painsensations, it is necessary to prevent the development of harmful bacteria and microorganisms. It is not recommended to choose drugs for treatment on your own, since there are many types of infectious agents. For example, antibiotics are usually prescribed for bacterial otitis media, while for fungal infections, they can significantly aggravate the healing process. Even seemingly harmless heating of the ear can lead to the formation of purulent accumulations. In some cases, ear congestion is treated with drugs to eliminate hormonal disorders and stimulate the immune system, which can also provoke the spread of pathogens in the ear.
The feeling of stuffiness is undoubtedly familiar to everyone and everyone. If it makes noise in the head and lays the ears, but discomfort is not felt, then the treatment can be performed at home. But if this condition occurs due to a certain disease, or if congestion arose for no reason and suddenly, it is better to consult a specialist in order to prevent the development of a serious disease. So, if your ear is stuffed up and making noise, you already know what to do.
